Hi Mitch
I was in your position about 6 weeks ago after starting detecting with a Garrett AT Gold in March. I didn't have any luck with the Garrett AT. I considered the Garrett ATX but moved my preference to Minelab on the basis that Minelab is vastly more widely used in Aust.
Once I decided on Minelab it was then a decision between the SDC and the GPX4500. I went with the 4500 on the basis that I was well experienced with detecting, had read the 4500 instruction numerous times and felt I would have no problem learning the settings, and that I wanted the flexibility of multiple coils and multiple choices of settings. Plus the price suited me over the more expensive models.
The outcome is that I have had no problem learning the machine and have found my first 2 pieces of gold, a 0.2g and 0.08g, both with a 8" mono on old timer diggings.
I have been out with guys that have the SDC, 4500, 5000 and GPZ.
The experience I've had is that myself on the 4500 and others on the 5000 and GPZ have only found very small quantities of very small gold, however the SDC found significantly more very small gold. As an example, on one days outing the guy on the SDC found 20 very small pieces, I found nothing, and others on the GPZ found a few pieces. One guy on the GPZ found 7 very small pieces. No one found any 1g plus pieces.
The reality was that there was only very small gold to be found, probably because the ground had been flogged, and the SDC certainly proved its superiority on very small gold.
To me it is very clear the SDC is the way to go if you want to search old diggings and pick up the smaller gold no other machine finds (or at least has difficulty finding).
If you want to detect virgin or less trodden ground the SDC will restrict your search to gold closer to the surface. Other machines will drive deeper and give you the chance of finding deeper gold.
Whilst the SDC will find larger gold at reasonable depth it can't drive as deep as a 4500, 5000 or GPZ. These later machines have far more flexibility of coils and settings to drive deep. However you do have to buy the extra coils.
As others have mentioned it would be ideal to have both machines. However, many like me just can't afford two machines, especially when you are starting out.
It is a tough call which we to go ........ SDC with guaranteed very small gold, the chance of larger shallow gold and the fun and excitement that goes with finding gold; or finding less volume of very small gold but have greater hope of the elusive big deep nugget that goes with a 4500, 5000 or GPZ.
It is a very personal decision.
Of course this is just my experience and opinion and certainly doesn't discount any other opinions.
Cheers Dig'n-it
